26-year-old man sentenced in Catoosa County child molestation case

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Dakota Christopher Crow, 26, was sentenced to 20 years with six years to serve in prison after a Catoosa County jury convicted him on two counts of child molestation. (Credit: Catoosa County Sheriff's Office)

CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. - A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years after a jury convicted him of molesting two young children, according to the district attorney's office. 

What we know:

According to prosecutors, a Catoosa County jury found Dakota Christopher Crow guilty on Sept. 30 on two counts of child molestation following a three-day trial. At a sentencing hearing on Oct. 13, a judge sentenced Crow to a 20-years, ordering him to serve the first six years in prison followed by 14 years on sex offender probation.

Prosecutors said that evidence presented at trial revealed that Crow repeatedly fondled the two victims from 2017 through 2018. An eyewitness testified in court that he saw Crow inappropriately rubbing one victim's leg and ordered him to stop, though prosecutors noted the incident was not immediately reported to law enforcement.

The district attorney's office added that Crow took the stand to testify in his own defense. Under cross-examination, Crow admitted on the witness stand to inappropriately touching one of the victims as described by the eyewitness. 

During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors argued to the court that Crow posed an ongoing danger to the community, highlighting trial testimony in which Crow admitted he continued volunteering to work with children after the abuse occurred and up until his arrest.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not disclosed where Crow volunteered with children.

 Prosecutors also did not release the identities or specific ages of the victims to protect their privacy.